*DCs, SPs asked to work out requirement within 10 days
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 7: On the directions of the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, Director General of Police has ordered placement of 600 Special Police Officers (SPOs) at the disposal of the Traffic Police in order to ensure better traffic management in the districts, where at present majority of the violations of rules particularly over-speeding and over-loading are getting unnoticed due to shortage of men in blue.
The Traffic Wing of the State Police was demanding additional manpower for effective enforcement of rules and better regulation of traffic during the past several years. But, this plea was always handled with non-seriousness and only statements were issued by the concerned quarters from time to time that strength of men in blue would be enhanced considerably.
At present, in Jammu and Srinagar cities there are around 500 Traffic Police personnel each to regulate the vehicular traffic of lakhs of vehicles against the actual requirement of thousands of cops. As far as rural areas of the State are concerned, there are around 400 cops in Jammu province and around 450 in Kashmir valley.
“The present strength is grossly inadequate especially in the context of rural parts of the State as a result of which majority of the offences particularly overloading and over-speeding get unchecked”, official sources said, adding “in many districts the number of cops in blue is very meager even to regulate vehicular movements what to talk of checking offences on interior roads”.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, who is also Minister Incharge Home, while receiving information about functioning of different wings of Jammu and Kashmir Police after taking over reins of the State, had also underlined the shortage of manpower in Traffic Wing especially when the vehicular population is increasing enormously every year.
Accordingly, she had directed the Director General of Police to initiate steps to overcome this problem as early as possible, sources said while disclosing that when the Chief Minister reiterated this direction in yesterday’s meeting, she was informed by the Director General of Police that orders have been issued for placement of 600 Special Police Officers (SPOs) at the disposal of the Traffic Wing.
“The IGPs of Jammu and Kashmir Zones have communicated that they are ready to depute 600 SPOs to Traffic Wing but they have been asked to wait for few days as district and town wise requirements are being worked out”, sources said, adding “the Deputy Commissioners, District SPs and SPs Rural (traffic) in both the provinces have been asked to work out requirement by keeping in view all the traffic related aspects”.
During this exercise, which will be completed within next 10 days, special focus would be laid on deployment of Traffic Police along with SPOs at busiest places and places of tourist interest and pilgrimage centres so as to ensure effective regulation of vehicular movement.
“The districts which are known for maximum road traffic accidents, would also be given preference as majority of the tragedies on the roads take place as major offences like overloading and over-speeding get unnoticed”, sources said.
They further said that directions are also being issued to the Traffic Police personnel deployed in the rural parts to lay nakas openly instead of hiding themselves, which trend can easily be noticed at present.
“There is no need for Traffic Police to hide themselves and appear on the road suddenly to stop the commercial vehicles as this activity gives wrong impression to the common masses”, sources said, adding “in future any Traffic Police personnel acting in this manner would have to face the music from the senior authorities”.
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